UPCOMING EVENTS

Last year, Amazon introduced Amazon Key, a program for Prime members that lets carriers drop packages off inside of homes when customers aren’t around. The service left apartment dwellers out in the cold, but today Amazon is addressing their needs with the launch of Hub, a delivery solution that brings the same conveniences to residents of high-rise buildings and condominiums.

More than 500,000 customers in New York, San Francisco, and across the country who live in rental properties owned by AvalonBay, Fairfield Residential, Pinnacle, J.P. Morgan Asset Management, Winn Residential, and Equity Residential and other management companies will now have access to Hub, which offers most of the delivery benefits of Key. Folks who are enrolled don’t have to wait at home for packages to be delivered — instead, property staff on site tender shipments not just from Amazon, but from other shops, websites, and even friends and family and handle common delivery tasks, like signing for packages.

Unlike Amazon Key, there is no requirement to install a security camera or an internet-connected deadbolt. Packages delivered via Hub are placed in a designated touchscreen lockbox that opens with a passcode. It’s a little like Amazon Lockers, Amazon’s self-serve delivery service in grocery stores and retail outlets, except Hub parcels come straight to the building lobby.

“Thousands” more locations will gain access to Hub each month, Amazon says. And starting this week, the Seattle company is allowing building managers to submit requests for hub installations.

“We’re always striving to make things easier for our customers. Building on Amazon’s expertise in locker solutions, the Hub addresses frustrations from property owners, carriers, and residents concerning package delivery,” Patrick Supanc, director at Amazon, said in a statement. “The Hub simplifies delivery for residents, offering quick and secure access to packages, day or night. For delivery providers, it offers a single, convenient location for package drop-off and gives property managers time and resources back to focus on other priorities.”